Recently the 93rd anniversary of the victory at Vimy Ridge was commemorated. In his speech Harper stated in reference to the soldiers, 'They risked their lives so the people of Europe could live with the same peace and freedom that had taken such deep root in Canada.'
In what way did the taking of Vimy Ridge, in a war notorious for its moral ambiguity, have anything to do with spreading peace and freedom?
Governor General Michelle Jean added the statement, “As proud and grateful Canadians, we pause today to mark not only the ninety-third anniversary of this Nation’s victory at Vimy Ridge but also to pay tribute to the passing of a truly remarkable generation who helped to end the most terrible conflict the world had ever known'
The fact that millions of young men were forced at the will of their governments to uproot their lives to go off and fight often to be injured or killed is a tragedy. However, is 'remarkable' the best word to describe a generation who foolishly and aimlessly dived into such a cataclysmic conflict?
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
A Little on Bhutan
The concept of 'Gross National Happiness' was introduced by the former Bhutanese king Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1972 as an alternative ends to both guiding and measuring the success of modernisation. While traditional methods of development stress economic growth as the ultimate goal, 'GNH' emphasises that development which causes environmental and cultural degradation is uneconomical if it in fact infringes on human happiness. In theory it is a concept I firmly support, quality of life and happiness should ultimately be what we as societies and individuals are working to improve as opposed to pure quantitative economic gains.
Application of GNH in the Bhutanese experience, despite the positive aspects of environmental preservation, should however not be idealised and should be subjected to some criticism. Policies initiated by the Bhutanese government in accordance with GNH aimed at developing Bhutan in accordance with 'traditional values' and in harmony with traditional Bhutanese culture. Examples of such policies included the banning of television and internet until 1999, the continual outlaw of traffic lights and the forcing of citizens to dress in 14th century traditional clothing. Undoubtedly there is a certain idyllic aesthetic to this that is appealing to disillusioned Westerners. One that allows us the picture of a quaint, 'purer' place unspoiled by global influences. It is nice to reach the state of cosmopolitanism and global awareness that we are able to idealise the very opposite characteristics in a society.
A certain skepticism should be raised anytime the 'traditional value' card is played. History and tradition are often used falsely or in over simplified manners to give currency to some peoples' conception of the past as a means of dictating how things should be in the present. It is a technique commonly used by populist and conservative politicians in the West. Empower a real or imagined cultural majority by anachronistically creating or shaping the present in a pseudo-historic mold. Culture as such is something created within which dictates one is forced to belong as opposed to a living and developing expression of lifestyle. In a sense such imposed cultural belonging is a type of fascism.
In Bhutan this element of fascism was not without the extreme manifestation of enforced traditional values, ethnic cleansing. In the 1980's, concerned by the changing demographic trends of an increasing population of Hindu ethnic-Nepali Bhutanese, Jigme Singye Wangchuck initiated a programme of 'Bhutanization' aimed at unifying the country under the culture, language and religion of the Buddhist Druk majority. The Druk dress code (as mentioned above) was imposed, the Nepali language was forbidden in schools, Nepali books were burned and ethnic Nepali were deprived of there citizenship and civil rights. In the early 1990s tens of thousands were expelled from the country and to this day approximately 107 000 are living in refugee camps in Eastern Nepal. Their happiness has not been factored into GNH.
Whatever good intentions there may have been, cultural hegemony has played a strong and condemnable role in Bhutan's development of Gross National Happiness.
Application of GNH in the Bhutanese experience, despite the positive aspects of environmental preservation, should however not be idealised and should be subjected to some criticism. Policies initiated by the Bhutanese government in accordance with GNH aimed at developing Bhutan in accordance with 'traditional values' and in harmony with traditional Bhutanese culture. Examples of such policies included the banning of television and internet until 1999, the continual outlaw of traffic lights and the forcing of citizens to dress in 14th century traditional clothing. Undoubtedly there is a certain idyllic aesthetic to this that is appealing to disillusioned Westerners. One that allows us the picture of a quaint, 'purer' place unspoiled by global influences. It is nice to reach the state of cosmopolitanism and global awareness that we are able to idealise the very opposite characteristics in a society.
A certain skepticism should be raised anytime the 'traditional value' card is played. History and tradition are often used falsely or in over simplified manners to give currency to some peoples' conception of the past as a means of dictating how things should be in the present. It is a technique commonly used by populist and conservative politicians in the West. Empower a real or imagined cultural majority by anachronistically creating or shaping the present in a pseudo-historic mold. Culture as such is something created within which dictates one is forced to belong as opposed to a living and developing expression of lifestyle. In a sense such imposed cultural belonging is a type of fascism.
In Bhutan this element of fascism was not without the extreme manifestation of enforced traditional values, ethnic cleansing. In the 1980's, concerned by the changing demographic trends of an increasing population of Hindu ethnic-Nepali Bhutanese, Jigme Singye Wangchuck initiated a programme of 'Bhutanization' aimed at unifying the country under the culture, language and religion of the Buddhist Druk majority. The Druk dress code (as mentioned above) was imposed, the Nepali language was forbidden in schools, Nepali books were burned and ethnic Nepali were deprived of there citizenship and civil rights. In the early 1990s tens of thousands were expelled from the country and to this day approximately 107 000 are living in refugee camps in Eastern Nepal. Their happiness has not been factored into GNH.
Whatever good intentions there may have been, cultural hegemony has played a strong and condemnable role in Bhutan's development of Gross National Happiness.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Morning IPod Generated Reflections
THE BLOWER'S DAUGHTER
by Damien Rice
He sings:
And so it is
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her skies
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes...
And so it is
Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
And so it is
The colder water
The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes...
Eyes...
She Sings:
Oh, did I say
That I loathe you?
Did I say
That I want to leave it all behind?
He sings:
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind...
My mind
My mind...
Till I find somebody new
by Damien Rice
He sings:
And so it is
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her skies
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes...
And so it is
Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
And so it is
The colder water
The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes...
Eyes...
She Sings:
Oh, did I say
That I loathe you?
Did I say
That I want to leave it all behind?
He sings:
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind...
My mind
My mind...
Till I find somebody new
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Quick Question
If the crucifixion was such a central moment to the Christian moral code some questions come to mind. What would have happened if Jesus had not been crucified? If it was meant to happen then were those who crucified Jesus simply fulfilling a divine plan? If so were the individuals who crucified Jesus: a) morally evil as having murdered and tortured someone? b) Heroes because they were responsible for the great act of Jesus being martyred for our sins? or c) simply God's pawns fulfilling the prophecy, in which case where does free will come in to play?
A People's Tragedy. (please read with a sarcastic tone of voice)
Well it has happened, the United States has begun its decline down the dark spiral of dictatorial socialism. From Seattle on the Pacific to Bangor on the Atlantic an "iron curtain" has descended across the Continent.
The great democratic vision of the Founding Fathers came crashing down this week as Obama signed the new health care bill. Not since the brutal assassination of the Romanovs has the ugly hand of socialism made such a tragic and revolutionary break from the past. It is enough to make one question who really won the Cold War? As a child watching the Berlin Wall being torn down I never imagined that in my life time I would see a government raise its iron fist and impose regulations on insurance companies. I naively believed that outside of Cuba (not including Guantanamo Bay) Freedom had killed Communism.
The historical parallels with Stalin's regime are astounding. The insurance companies, forced to cover high risk clients are like the Ukrainian Kulaks driven into enforced famine. In fact I wouldn't doubt the first thing that happened upon arrival to a gulag was a medical inspection of some sort. Think about it!
As godless socialism breaks down the moral foundations of our neighbour to the south I ask that we all turn to Jesus. Universal health care is a front to everything our saviour stood for. Do you think he healed everyone with his miracles? No!He chose those worthy, just like capitalism does.
Think about it, had these socialist-enabling liberals been running things with their anti-death penalty, healthcare-for-everyone ways back in Jesus' time he never would have been crucified and could have never died for our sins. Even if some could get away with torturing him a little, socialized healthcare would have stopped him from really suffering for us. Don't you see, it wouldn't be possible to be a martyr.
Lets just take a moment to pray for our American brothers in hopes that Jesus will hear us and take back his land where no man, woman, or child is forced to live in the clutches of tyranny. We must hope for the return of the Christ-like freedom of not having to offer healthcare to those who can't afford it.
Amen. Better dead than red.
The great democratic vision of the Founding Fathers came crashing down this week as Obama signed the new health care bill. Not since the brutal assassination of the Romanovs has the ugly hand of socialism made such a tragic and revolutionary break from the past. It is enough to make one question who really won the Cold War? As a child watching the Berlin Wall being torn down I never imagined that in my life time I would see a government raise its iron fist and impose regulations on insurance companies. I naively believed that outside of Cuba (not including Guantanamo Bay) Freedom had killed Communism.
The historical parallels with Stalin's regime are astounding. The insurance companies, forced to cover high risk clients are like the Ukrainian Kulaks driven into enforced famine. In fact I wouldn't doubt the first thing that happened upon arrival to a gulag was a medical inspection of some sort. Think about it!
As godless socialism breaks down the moral foundations of our neighbour to the south I ask that we all turn to Jesus. Universal health care is a front to everything our saviour stood for. Do you think he healed everyone with his miracles? No!He chose those worthy, just like capitalism does.
Think about it, had these socialist-enabling liberals been running things with their anti-death penalty, healthcare-for-everyone ways back in Jesus' time he never would have been crucified and could have never died for our sins. Even if some could get away with torturing him a little, socialized healthcare would have stopped him from really suffering for us. Don't you see, it wouldn't be possible to be a martyr.
Lets just take a moment to pray for our American brothers in hopes that Jesus will hear us and take back his land where no man, woman, or child is forced to live in the clutches of tyranny. We must hope for the return of the Christ-like freedom of not having to offer healthcare to those who can't afford it.
Amen. Better dead than red.
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